Washing machine



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W. NEAR.

vE'HxsHIbnf MACHINE. No. 388,998. Patented Sept.. 4, 1888.

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W. NEAR.

WASHNG MAGHNEl Patented Sept. 4, 1888.I

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ilNrrnD STATES PATENT Ormea,

lWILSON NEAR, OF HUMBERSTONE, ONTARIO, CANADA.

WASHiNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent o. 388,998, dated September d, 1888.

Application tiled July 7. i587. Serial No. 243,648. tModel.)

To @ZZ whom, it nutty concern:

Be it known that I, VILsoN NEAR, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Hnmberstone, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing- Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a fuil, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of washing-machines which embody a washboard, and beaters mounted upon a crankshaft in such a manner that the clothes are rubbed between the wash-board and beaters.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and improved washing-machine of this class which will possess advantages in point of inexpensiveness, durability, ease of operation, and general eiiiciency, and in which the motion imparted to the beaters by the crankshaft will impart to the clothes a constant rolling and progressive movement from one side to the other of the tub.

A'urther object of my invention is to Secure a constant pressure upon the clothes, whether there be few or many in the tub, whereby the action and cleansing effect of the beaters upon the clothes will always be even and regular, this being effected by improved spring mechanism for regulating the operation of the beaters.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a washing-machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line x, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a corresponding view on the line y y. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the beaters, illustrating its means of attachment to the crank-shaft and its connection with the springregulating devices.

Corresponding parts in the figures are denoted by the same letters of reference.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the tub or body of the machine, which comprises vertical sides a c, an inclined end, c', a rear end, c, and a bottom, c3, the bottom being preferably inclined upwardly toward said in1 clined end.

B designates a transverse strip or abutment located at the bottom of the inclined end a and adapted to be engaged b v the lower edge of a transverse wash-board, C, which is preierably provided with a corrugated face, c, and is retained down in position by inwardly-projecting plates D at the top of the sides au. These plates are secured to the sides of the tub, and to one end ofsaid plates are pivoted arms E, provided on their under edge with projections e, adapted to engage the top edge of the wash-board to retain the same against displacement and in the posit-ion to which it has been adjusted. By this arrangement it is manifest that the wash-board may be readily adjusted at the desired inclination with relation to the beaters to suit different sizes and quantities of clothes to be cleansed, and owing to the fact that the wash board is not permanently connected to the tub it can be readily removed, when desired, to facilitate the removal ofthe clothes or cleansing ofthe tub.

F designates the transverse bcater-shaft, which has bearings ff at the sides a c, and may be provided with a cranlcarm, G, to enable its operation by hand-power, or it may be provided with a band-wheel or other device for communicating motion from a motor or other power. The crankshaft is made np of a series ot' cranks, f, arranged on different planes with relation to the length of the shaft and forming bearings for the beaters, the beaters being retained between shouldersf,fornied by the portions connecting the cran-ks.

In practice I prefer to employ ten beaters, and from the arrangementshown and described it will be obvious that each beater is mounted eccentrically with relation to the plane of the bearings of the shaft, whereby its lower end will be carried upwardly and rearwardly and downwardly and forwardly during the revolu4 tion of the shaft in the plane indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 2. The lower ends ofthe beat ers which operate with relation to the washboard are preferably provided with transverse ribs or corrugations f3, and during the rearward movement of the beater the pressure upon the clothes is relieved, thus allowing them to turn, by which arrangement and operation of a series of independent successivelyoperating and eccentrically-mounted beaters IOO a constant rolling and progressive movement of the clothes from one side to the other of the tub is effected.

'Ihe beaters are removable from the shaft and interchangeable, this being permitted by a spring-plate, H, secured at the rear edge of the beater, and comprising a spring loop or hook, h, adapted to be sprung over the cranks of the shaft (see Fig. 5) and forming the bearing for the beater. 'Ihe spring-plate may be formed of a continuous strip of metal bent double, as shown, and at its upper end the plate is bent outwardly and bifurcated to form two spring-arms, h h', which retain and :form a bearing for a detachable T-head, I, secured to one end of a coiled spring, J, by staples j, or in any other suitable manner. A corresponding T-head, K, is similarly secu-eil at the other end of the coiled spring of each beater, and is adapted to be engaged with a notch, Z, in the edge of a flange, L, secured at the end of the tub or body. This flange is provided with a longitudinal groove, l', forming a bearing for the T-head K, and the series of notches or reccssesl are provided in the grooved portion of the flange Il. The office of these coiled springs is to cause the lower ends of the beaters at their forward stroke to exert a constant and even pressure upon the clothes, whether there be few or many in the tub, thus securing an even and regular action which enhances the efciency of the machine and obviates damage or unnecessary wear upon the clothes.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, in a washing-machine of the class described, of a tub or body, a washboard mounted therein, a transverse crankshaft embodying a series of cranks on different planes with relation to the length of the shaft, a transverse series of beaters eccentrically mounted with relation to the bearings of the shaft upon said cranks, and coiled springs connected with the upper ends of the beaters, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, in a washing-machine of the class described, of the tub or body, a transverse adjustable wash -board mounted therein, the transverse shaft provided with the series of cranksf, beaters mounted upon said cranks eccentrically with relation to the bearings of the shaft, plates secured to the beaters and forming curved springarms, a flange projecting from the body and provided with a series of notches, and coiled springs having T- heads at their ends respectively engaging said notches and the spring-arms upon the beater, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a washing-machine, the combination of the tub or body provided with a transverse strip or abutment at its bottom and inwardlyprojecting plates at its top, a transverse washboard retained in position by said ridge and plates, pivoted arms engaging the top of the wash-board to retain it in adjusted position, a transverse shaft provided with a series of cranks,aseries of beaters provided with springplates forming a detachable connection and bearing with the cranks and having curved arms at their upper ends, a flange upon the body formed with a longitudinally-grooved portion provided with aseries of notches, and coiled springs provided at their ends with T- heads respectively engaging said notches and the curved arms upon the beaters, snbstan` tially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a washing-machine of the class described, the combination, with a shaft embodying a series of cranks and connecting portions forming shoulders, ofa series of removable and interchangeable beaters having a spring-plate secured at their rear edge and comprising a loop or hook adapted to be sprung over the cranks of the shaft and retained by said shoulders, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In combination with the series of detachable beaters provided with the plates having a spring loop or hook forming the bearing and provided with a bifurcated upper end forming spring-arms, the coiled springs provided with a T-hcad engaging said arms, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILSON NEAR.

Witnesses:

S. H. MOORE, A. WV. HAUN. 

